IRVING, Texas, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Emmitt Smith eclipsed the late Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher Sunday, but could only watch as Rian Lindell kicked a 20-yard field goal with 25 seconds left as the Seattle Seahawks downed the Dallas Cowboys, 17-14.
Smith needed 93 yards Sunday to unseat his idol Payton, who ran so beautifully he was known as "Sweetness" and rushed for 16,726 yards in 13 years with the Chicago Bears.
Payton played in 190 NFL games, three less than Smith, who earlier this season broke Payton's career record for carries.
Hoping to set the all-time rushing record at Texas Stadium, the 33-year-old Smith gained a season-high 109 yards on 24 carries, increasing his career total to 16,743 yards, and also recorded his 150th career rushing touchdown.
Afterwards, Smith, who is in his 13th year with the Cowboys (3-5), addressed the sellout crowd on the field.
"I was glad and thrilled to have the opportunity to do it here at Texas Stadium where God looked down on us on this day," said Smith, who also recorded his 75th career 100-yard rushing game. "Today was a special day for me for a number of reasons. It's an individual accomplishment, but I can't pat myself on the back because of the amount of people who had a hand in my success."
Smith wore a different jersey in each quarter and will send one to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and one to charity. He will keep one jersey, as well as the football he carried on his record-breaking 11-yard run.
Showing his uncanny field vision, Smith cut left and quickly hit the hole. As tacklers sent him stumbling, Smith put down his right hand to maintain his balance before falling forward for an 11-yard gain in the fourth quarter to break the record.
"I think the name of the play where I set the record was called a '15 Lead,'" Smith said. "I knew we had an opportunity today (to set the record) because of the style of defense they played."
Smith jumped to his feet after the run and held the ball in the air as the crowd roared. Fittingly, Smith capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge with 5:35 left, tying the game at 14-14.
Smith became emotional when he hugged his wife and mother on the sidelines and was greeted by former Cowboys Michael Irvin and Daryl Johnston, who were teammates of Smith on Dallas' three Super Bowl-winning teams in the 1990s.
Walter Payton and Smith became friends in the late 1990s before Payton died of liver cancer in November 1999. This past summer, the Payton Foundation honored Smith with the second Spirit of Sweetness Award.
"He (Payton) was the man individually that I was chasing after," Smith said. "But he meant so much to me. I wish I could have embraced him today."
An 11-time 1,000-yard rusher and four-time rushing champion, Smith rushed for 55 yards on nine carries in the first quarter but failed to gain a yard in the second period. He added 25 yards on five carries in the third to raise his total to 80 before getting three yards and the record-breaking 11-yard run in the fourth.
However, the Seahawks (2-5) spoiled the party by driving 72 yards in 13 plays with the help of two Cowboys penalties to set up Lindell's winning field goal. On one of the penalties, Dallas safety Darren Woodson was flagged 15 yards for unnecessary roughness after drilling receiver Darrell Jackson with a high, hard hit on a pass over the middle.
Jackson sustained a concussion, but was able to walk off the field. However, after the game, Jackson suffered a seizure in the locker room and was taken to Baylor Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.
"While I was giving my press conference, there was a bit of commotion next door," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "Darrell Jackson, our wide receiver, had a concussion during the ballgame and then had a seizure there (in the locker room)."
Seahawks team physician Dr. Ed Khalfayan said the seizure likely was caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, but said that Jackson never lost consciousness.
"He kept breathing the whole time and recovered from the seizure and was a bit confused afterwards," Dr. Khalfayan said. "He was not receptive to any information and had movements in his extremeties, which are very typical of a seizure."
The Seahawks also lost starting quarterback Trent Dilfer, who suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the second quarter and will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday.
Dilfer took an awkward step as he rolled right and completed an eight-yard pass to running back Shaun Alexander. As soon as he threw the ball, Dilfer fell to the ground without being hit.
"It looked like he got hurt when he was scrambling," Holmgren said. "I feel so bad for him. It's been an unlucky year for him."
Dilfer, who missed most of the preseason and the season opener with a sprained left MCL, was seven of 12 for 46 yards with an interception. Matt Hasselbeck, who was Seattle's starter last season, relieved and completed 12 of 19 passes for 131 yards with an interception.
"Sometimes Matt can get excitable, but he did a good job of playing within himself today," Holmgren said. "He'll be our quarterback for the rest of the season."
Alexander scored both of Seattle's touchdowns -- a two-yard run with 12 seconds left in the first half and a five-yard run 4:44 into the fourth quarter.
Chad Hutchinson made his first NFL start at quarterback for the Dallas and was bestowed with the honor of the historic handoff to Smith in the fourth quarter. Hutchinson did not commit any turnovers, but completed just 12 of 24 for 145 yards.
Cowboys coach Dave Campo benched Quincy Carter, who was intercepted four times last week in a loss to Arizona, in favor of Hutchinson, who spent the previous four years in baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.
"I certainly felt more comfortable in this debut than my major league debut," Hutchinson said. "I felt more prepared for this game. I definitely felt more comfortable as the game progressed, especially in the second half."
Hutchinson's finest moment came when he read the blitz and hit a wide-open Joey Galloway down the left sideline for a 39-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left in the third quarter, tying the game at 7-7.
Traded by Seattle to the Cowboys in 2000, Galloway had four receptions for 62 yards.
